Written Answers Friday 5 October 2007

Scottish Executive

Concessionary Travel

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to introduce technology that will more accurately measure usage of the national concessionary fares scheme.

Stewart Stevenson: There are currently two successful pilot schemes in operation which utilise the new ticketing machine technology. This technology is now in the process of being rolled out across Scotland

Concessionary Travel

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people entitled to national entitlement cards for free bus travel under transitional arrangements have been refused renewal as these schemes come to an end, broken down by local authority.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many national entitlement cards for free bus travel have been renewed following submission of form NCT002, broken down by local authority.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland does not hold this information as the renewal of national entitlement cards is the responsibility of local authorities. As such, any available information relating to card issue statistics is held by them.

Concessionary Travel

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with a learning disability and entitled to national entitlement cards for free bus travel under transitional arrangements have been refused renewal as these schemes come to an end, broken down by local authority.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people receiving the lower level of Disability Living Allowance and entitled to national entitlement cards for free bus travel under transitional arrangements have been refused renewal as these schemes come to an end, broken down by local authority.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland does not hold this information as the issue and renewal of national entitlement cards is the responsibility of local authorities As such, any available information relating to card issue statistics is held by them.

Concessionary Travel

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many claims for national entitlement cards for free bus travel have been rejected following submission of form NCT002, broken down by local authority.

Stewart Stevenson: Anyone who submits an application for Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People accompanied by a fully completed NCT002 authorised by an appropriate person will have their application processed and will be issued with a national entitlement card.

  Applications would only be rejected if the applicant does not meet all the criteria or their application has not been approved by an appropriately qualified person.

  Transport Scotland does not hold this information as the renewal of national entitlement cards is the responsibility of local authorities. As such, any available information relating to card issue statistics is held by them.

Concessionary Travel

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that consistent standards are maintained by local authorities for processing form NCT002.

Stewart Stevenson: The NCT002 details the criteria which requires to be met by anyone applying under the mental health category and requires an authorised signatory from a recognised establishment to confirm that an applicant meets the criteria.

  All local authorities have been issued with guidance notes to ensure that only those people who meet the criteria in full have their applications processed and to ensure that the certificates have been completed and authorised in accordance with the guidance issued by Transport Scotland.

Enterprise

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive by how much it will reduce the budget of Highlands and Islands Enterprise to account for the changes of functions of the local enterprise companies.

Jim Mather: All budgets are subject to consideration as part of the forthcoming Spending Review. There is likely to be some alteration in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise budget to take account of the reforms but no changes will be made until the next financial year.

Enterprise

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that the regeneration powers and duties passing to local authorities in the Scottish Enterprise area will not pass to local authorities in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area.

Jim Mather: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth announced in the statement on enterprise networks reform, that Highlands and Islands Enterprise will retain its strengthening communities remit. As regeneration activity is a component of this remit, Highlands and Islands Enterprise will continue to have responsibility for it.

Enterprise

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out the timescale and the nature of the review of national and small business grant schemes in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area.

Jim Mather: As the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth announced in his statement, we intend in the longer term to look at integrating national grant schemes and to review the use of small business grants in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area. This will therefore be subject to further consideration and no decisions have yet been made as to timescales. In the meantime, Highlands and Islands Enterprise will continue to operate business grants in its area.

Fuel

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken, or intends to take, to encourage the greater use of biodiesel.

Stewart Stevenson: Biodiesel as a blended transport fuel with standard fossil and mineral diesel is already sold in outlets across the UK without the need for separate labelling or pumps. The biofuel component of blended fuels will increase to 5% as part of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) target by 2010. New vehicle engine warranties would be invalid if biofuel content greater than 5% were used. To provide further certainty to transport fuel suppliers and stimulate production, the Chancellor of the Exchequer extended the period of RTFO fuel duty incentive of 20p per litre on biodiesel and bioethanol production until 2009-10.

  We are developing plans to consult with key stakeholders to consider what reasonable steps can be taken to encourage wider use of higher blends of biofuels for all road vehicles. We continue to monitor UK and European discussions aimed at increasing the RTFO target beyond 2010.

Fuel

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to boost the production, use and availability of biodiesel.

Stewart Stevenson: The Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) provides the key stimulus for obligated transport fuel suppliers to invest in biodiesel and bioethanol production to meet the 5% biofuel target by 2010. The Chancellor of the Exchequer extended the period of RTFO fuel duty incentive of 20p per litre on biodiesel and bioethanol production until 2009-10 to provide further certainty to transport fuel suppliers.

  In Scotland, INEOS Enterprises were granted £9 million Regional Selective Assistance last year to develop biodiesel production at its Grangemouth site and aim to be in operation in 2008. This facility will be the largest in Europe and will meet 35% of the UK demand.

  Biodiesel as a blended transport fuel with standard fossil and mineral diesel is already sold in outlets across the UK, and without the need for separate labelling or pumps. We are developing plans to consult with key stakeholders to consider what reasonable steps can be taken to encourage wider use of higher blends of biofuels for all road vehicles as part of our manifesto commitments.

Parliamentary Questions

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S3W-2451 which received a holding reply on 23 August 2007.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to answer to question S3W-2451 on 1 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Rail Network

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the due diligence review of the Borders Railway by Transport Scotland is expected to be completed; to whom it will report, and whether the report will be published in full.

Stewart Stevenson: I am expecting a report based on the due diligence review to be with me before the end of the year. Once I have reviewed the finding of the report I expect to publish information to inform Parliament and public about that process.

Renewable Energy

Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the installed renewable electricity generation capacity was on (a) 16 May and (b) 14 August 2007 (i) in total and (ii) by energy source.

Jim Mather: The following tables are based on information provided by Scottish Renewables for technologies that qualify for support under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland).

  Information for the specific dates requested is not available.

  Installed Renewables Capacity 16 May 2007

  

Technology
Capacity (MW)


Onshore Wind
1,050.22


Hydro
1,345.57


Biomass electricity
12.62


Wave
0.8


Total
2,409.21



  Installed Renewables Capacity 24 August 2007

  

Technology
Capacity (MW)


Onshore Wind
1,135.02


Hydro
1,357.76


Biomass electricity
37.62


Wave
0.5


Total
2,530.9



  Installed capacity from Energy from Waste (EfW) is not included as not all forms of EfW are eligible for support under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland).

Renewable Energy

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-941 by Stewart Stevenson on 13 June 2007, what progress has been made on the Scottish Government’s consultation on permitted development rights for microgeneration equipment and when its findings will be published.

Stewart Stevenson: The issues are under consideration and the government will consult shortly on extending permitted development rights to micro-renewable equipment.

Road Accidents

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road traffic accidents have involved police pursuits in each year since 1999, broken down by force area.

Kenny MacAskill: The number of road traffic accidents that have involved police pursuits from 1999 until 2007

  

Year1
Police Force
Total


Central
Dumfries and Galloway
Fife
Grampian
Lothian and Borders
Northern
Strathclyde
Tayside


1999-2000
3
7
7
13
47
1
102
23
203


2000-01
4
3
21
14
58
2
104
18
224


2001-02
3
4
13
3
41
7
133
0
204


2002-03
1
8
17
29
63
9
74
21
222


2003-04
7
11
10
19
38
10
152
4
251


2004-05
12
18
13
9
31
8
156
19
266


2005-06
23
12
17
11
53
1
44
25
186


2006-07
11
9
9
13
15
9
40
13
119



  Note: 1. The figures given relate to accidents occurring in the financial year.

Roads

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide local authorities with additional funding for improvements to and the maintenance of rural roads.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government supports local authorities’ net revenue expenditure on road maintenance through the core local government finance settlement. All local authorities receive their needs-based share of the road maintenance grant aided expenditure (GAE) allocations and it is up to each council to decide how best to allocate the resources available to it based on its local needs and priorities.

  The GAE funding levels to local authorities in the future will be considered in the context of Spending Review 2007.

Roads

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to take action in relation to the adoption of any unadopted roads in the city of Aberdeen.

Stewart Stevenson: This is entirely a matter for Aberdeen City Council as local roads authority.

Scottish Government Staff

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to maintain current staffing levels to deliver smaller government.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sufficient staff to carry out its functions.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its departments has requested more staff.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether each of its departments has a full complement of staff.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff it employs (a) directly and (b) indirectly.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed in the Office of the First Minister.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff positions will be cut from the Office of the First Minister as a result of voluntary measures to achieve its aims for smaller government.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed in its economy department.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff positions will be cut from its economy department as a result of voluntary measures to achieve its aim for smaller government.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed in its education department.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff positions will be cut from its education department as a result of voluntary measures to achieve its aim for smaller government.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed in its environment department.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff positions will be cut from its environment department as a result of voluntary measures to achieve its aim for smaller government.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed in its health department.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff positions will be cut from its health department as a result of voluntary measures to achieve its aim for smaller government.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed in its justice department.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff positions will be cut from its justice department as a result of voluntary measures to achieve its aim for smaller government.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3994 by John Swinney on 12 September 2007, whether staff whose roles and duties change will have their salaries maintained at current levels.

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of staff it employs has reduced as a result of the reduction in the number of its departments.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not set staffing targets. The relationship within the Scottish Government between the activities of the organisation and the number of staff employed in the delivery of particular objectives and functions is kept under continuous review. There is therefore no static view of the right number of staff either in total or in specific parts of the organisation.

  The number of staff in any public sector organisation should flow from the right financial decisions about the budget for that organisation and the right operational decisions about the functions and organisational structure of each organisation. We are pursuing efficiency in the costs of all parts of the public sector. We have also begun our programme of streamlining the structure and operations of the public sector, within the context of the government’s commitment that there will be no compulsory redundancies. Within the Scottish Government, we have set an example by reducing the number of Cabinet Secretaries. There have been corresponding changes in the number of civil service posts at Director-General level.

  The following table sets out the number of permanent staff currently employed in the Scottish Government, broken down by Cabinet Secretary portfolio.

  Permanent Staff (Full-Time Equivalent) at 1 September 2007

  

First Minister
1,171.3


Education and Lifelong Learning
367.7


Finance and Sustainable Growth
780.1


Health and Wellbeing
556.2


Justice and Communities
352.9


Rural Affairs and Environment
895.3


Total
4,123.50



  The Scottish Government also uses agency workers through its contracts with Pertemps (clerical and administrative staff) and Hays (interim managers). The numbers of agency workers in core Directorates at 1 August 2007 were 194 Pertemps staff and 35 Hays staff working in core Directorates. Changes in these numbers over time will be determined within the general principles set out above.

  Where any change has an impact on job roles the Scottish Government will meet its statutory and contractual requirements and will consult as required with the Council of Scottish Executive Unions and staff. Where there is no change in the job weight (grade) then there will be no impact on the individual’s salary. Where job weight changes substantially, either upwards or downwards, the normal process would be to rematch the job to someone within the appropriate grade and to rematch the individual post holder to a job of the appropriate weight.

Scottish Government Staff

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4017 by John Swinney on 18 September 2007, whether Willie Haughey OBE is a member of the board of Scottish Enterprise Glasgow and, if so, what remuneration, including expenses, he receives.

Jim Mather: Willie Haughey OBE is a member of the board of Scottish Enterprise Glasgow. Any remuneration, including expenses, he receives is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I shall ask the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to write to you to detail this.

Scottish Government Staff

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on special advisers from June to September (a) 2006 and (b) 2007.

John Swinney: From 1 June to 30 September 2006 the amount spent on special advisers salaries, ERNIC and employer pension contributions was £284,212. The figure for 1 June to 30 September 2007 was £210,973. In addition £21,487 relating to residual costs for the special adviser team in the previous administration was spent in the period 1 June to 30 September 2007.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Scheme

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4290 by Stewart Stevenson on 20 September 2007, how many applications have been made to the Scottish Transport Group pension fund since 31 January 2007 and when the Scottish Government expects the remaining £135,000 to be paid out.

Stewart Stevenson: Since 31 January 2007 six claims have been received in relation to the Scottish Transport Group pension fund surplus all of which have been settled. The remaining £135,000 has been reserved for distribution to identified eligible former pension scheme members. Claims continue to be received and there are no plans to set a cut-off date for receipt of such claims.

Scottish Water

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water is liable to pay financial compensation to a client if poor quality infrastructure replacement work is carried out on its behalf by a subcontractor.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water is liable to pay financial compensation for economic loss caused to individuals, businesses or community organisations by damage caused by infrastructure work carried out on its behalf by a subcontractor.

Stewart Stevenson: Section 20 of the Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968 (as amended) sets out the arrangements for compensation for loss etc. resulting from the exercise of Scottish Water’s powers under Part 1 of this act.

  Similarly, section 10 of the Water (Scotland) Act 1980 (as amended) sets out the arrangements for compensation for damage resulting from the exercise of Scottish Water’s powers under this act.

  Both acts confirm that claims for compensation should be made to Scottish Water within 24 months after the date in which the alleged loss, injury or damage sustained has occurred. In the case of dispute about the facts or as to the amount of compensation, provision is also available for arbitration.

  Public General Acts are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Special Advisers

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which special advisers have attended meetings of the Cabinet since May 2007 and on how many occasions each has attended.

Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government does not disclose details of attendance at individual Cabinet meeting. However, it has always been the case that special advisers may attend Cabinet meeting at the invitation of the First Minister.

Voluntary Organisations

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is of each volunteering opportunity under the Project Scotland programme.

Jim Mather: Project Scotland is a company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity whose aims and objectives are to promote the welfare and relieve the needs of the population in Scotland by encouraging and assisting young people to provide their skills and services voluntarily to charitable organisations. Full information about the work of Project Scotland is available from its Chief Executive at 49 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7HL.

  The Chief Executive advises that: "From the inception of Project Scotland to the end of the latest tax year (2006-07) we placed 1,292 volunteers which, dividing total expense by the number of volunteers, shows an average cost of £8,934 per volunteering opportunity of 30 hours per week for six months. Having put the necessary infrastructure in place, the cost of an average volunteering opportunity in the current tax year is forecast at £4,995".

Voluntary Organisations

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2458 by Jim Mather on 4 September 2007, what plans it has to monitor the terms and conditions of staff working for independent voluntary sector public service contractors.

Jim Mather: None.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-2459 on 4 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Wildlife

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3373 by Michael Russell on 10 September 2007, whether there was an active grouse moor or pheasant shoot within a five mile radius of each incident.

Michael Russell: The information sought in this question is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Correction

The reply to question S3W-4404 which was originally answered on 1 October 2007, has been corrected: see page 1187 or http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-07/wa1003.htm.

  The reply to question S3W-4409 which was originally answered on 1 October 2007, has been corrected: see page 1199 or http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-07/wa1003.htm.